Goal: Communication and combatting rumors and gossip
Materials: 2 sets of premade pictures, pencils for all, paper for all
1. Explain to group the purpose of this session: Communication
Ask group: What does Communication mean? (the imparting or exchanging of information or news)
Communication is an important skill not only for students (writing, talking with your teachers, parents, friends) but to prepare you for the future of work (one of the top skills desired by colleges and businesses).
2. Activity: Pair up with a partner and sit back to back. One partner raise your hand. You are going to be the talkers in this activity. You will have 3 min to look at a picture and describe it in detail to your partner. Your partner, whose back must remain to your back, will be the Listener. The Listener will not be able to talk or acknowledge you at all. They may not look at your drawing. It is the job of the Talker to get your partner, the Listener, to draw the picture exactly or as close to the one in your hand as possible.
3. pass out the pictures, pencils, paper. Announce to the group to begin. Can use a timer to allow for appropriate time http://www.online-stopwatch.com/
At the end of the 3 min, have the partners turn toward each other and compare pictures.
4. Switch roles. New Talker now is given a new picture, with same directions as before. New Listener's job is to now draw the picture.
Give 3 min to play, stop with timer http://www.online-stopwatch.com/
5. As a group, discuss this activity
What was hard about doing this?
What was easy?
Did your pictures turn out better the second time around now that you knew what to say or look for?
Describe the difference in being able to communicate using facial expressions, body language, tone, and verbal communication vs. not being able to look at each other
Has anyone ever had a IM message or email misinterpreted?
How might this activity represent our written communication on email, social media, text?
6. Watch the following video on miscommunication via text and how we can prevent it. Miscommunication Folly
5. Break large group into 2 groups (about 20-25 each). Have the 2 groups of students stand around in 2 separate circles. Explain that you are each going to play the game of telephone. One person will be given a statement, and this statement needs to go clockwise around the circle. The last person will share what they heard.
6. Sit down and discuss:
Was the original message the same as the outcome message? Why are why not?
Most of the time the message gets changed. People unintentionally change a message, or people add their own opinions and ideas to a message.
This is like rumors and gossip in middle school. Messages can start out one way, and end of changing, and spreading, another way.
What can we do to prevent gossip and rumors from spreading in Middle School
Goal: Communication and combatting rumors and gossip
Materials: 2 sets of premade pictures, pencils for all, paper for all
1. Explain to group the purpose of this session: Communication
Ask group: What does Communication mean? (the imparting or exchanging of information or news)
Communication is an important skill not only for students (writing, talking with your teachers, parents, friends) but to prepare you for the future of work (one of the top skills desired by colleges and businesses).
2. Activity: Pair up with a partner and sit back to back. One partner raise your hand. You are going to be the talkers in this activity. You will have 3 min to look at a picture and describe it in detail to your partner. Your partner, whose back must remain to your back, will be the Listener. The Listener will not be able to talk or acknowledge you at all. They may not look at your drawing. It is the job of the Talker to get your partner, the Listener, to draw the picture exactly or as close to the one in your hand as possible.
3. pass out the pictures, pencils, paper. Announce to the group to begin. Can use a timer to allow for appropriate time
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/
At the end of the 3 min, have the partners turn toward each other and compare pictures.
4. Switch roles. New Talker now is given a new picture, with same directions as before. New Listener's job is to now draw the picture.
Give 3 min to play, stop with timer http://www.online-stopwatch.com/
5. As a group, discuss this activity
6. Watch the following video on miscommunication via text and how we can prevent it. Miscommunication Folly
5. Break large group into 2 groups (about 20-25 each). Have the 2 groups of students stand around in 2 separate circles. Explain that you are each going to play the game of telephone. One person will be given a statement, and this statement needs to go clockwise around the circle. The last person will share what they heard.
6. Sit down and discuss:
- Was the original message the same as the outcome message? Why are why not?
Most of the time the message gets changed. People unintentionally change a message, or people add their own opinions and ideas to a message.This is like rumors and gossip in middle school. Messages can start out one way, and end of changing, and spreading, another way.